3 Tips for Winter Entertaining

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 

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When I think of winter, I think of cool weather, warm outfits, good food, friends and family. As the holiday season is upon us, it is likely that you will be doing some winter entertaining. I know for our family, winter entertaining is a big deal and something we hold very dear. I love having friends and family over for dinner, game nights, and movie nights leading up to the holidays. Here are 3 Tips for Winter Entertaining:

1. Serve Food

Food is always a centerpiece of entertaining. It creates community and encourages open conversation. There is something about sharing food together that is just personal and fun. However, I would encourage you to think outside the box for food for your event. Recently, we had a Pie “Bar” at our house when having a few people over. I am loving Mr Kipling pies right now. They are available for a limited time in Walmart Stores in Texas and once they are sold out, they are gone!

Mr Kipling pies are truly unique, nothing else out there rivals them. They have a short shelf life of 2-3 weeks, but can be frozen, too. They are made with real fruit pieces. Let me tell you, you can taste the deliciousness in every bite! You can serve them room temperature, warm or cold and they taste great at every temperature! My family loved the Apple pies and Mississippi Mud pies the best.

 

My favorite aspect of the pies is that they are miniature, which make for great party food. Plus, they are created with such craftsmanship, you can really see the attention to detail on each pie. They are a WIN for any party.

 

2. Pick An Activity

Be sure to have a fun activity planned. While just visiting can be very fun, sometimes you need a little more planned. We like having game nights, football watch parties, and movie nights. But as the temperatures get cooler outside, it is fun to sit around a fire with friends and just talking as well. We love playing Sequence and Phase 10 with our friends a lot. We tend to get competitive and have a great time. If we have a larger crowd, we enjoy Apples To Apples.

 

You know your friends best, so be sure that the activity fits the crowd. Some of our friends enjoy game nights more, while others enjoy watching football or having dinner.

 

3. Create A Relaxing Atmosphere

My boss always says that people remember an event by “what they see, what they hear and what they smell”. I totally agree with this statement. It might seem over the top, but really small details help make a memorable experience. Since it is fall, be sure to have cozy blankets around the house or set the temperature appropriately in the house. Also, you can add a few decorative pieces to your house like a wreath or a centerpiece. This will be welcoming to your guests and set a fun, fall tone.

 

For the “what they hear”, this could be music in the background, or if you are in our house, a football game. And the “smell” could be a candle burning, or even warm pies as well! Be sure to keep it simple though, you want to make sure you are spending way more time enjoying yourself than worrying about set up.

 

What is your favorite type of pie? I would love to hear!